Chapter 039: The Counterattack Begins (Please Recommend and Keep Reading)

The second day of the second lunar month is a time for picking wild vegetables.

At this point in time, there was no such concept as the "Dragon Raising Its Head." However, since it was the season when grasses grew and orioles flew, the people of Bianjing would venture outside the city walls to gather wild greens to celebrate the day. Within the imperial palace, the Emperor would bestow a feast of wild vegetables upon his high-ranking officials—a custom meant to encourage agriculture.

As an important festival following the New Year, one would expect the young scholars of Bianjing, who never missed a lively event, to be out in force. Yet, they remained uncharacteristically disciplined, abstaining from the festivities. The reason was simple: in three days, the Ministry of Rites examinations would begin. Even someone as haughty and confident in his talents as Yang Zhi had canceled his banquets at the Dengke Tower to hide away and study.

Wang Anshi was also at home studying, but an inescapable sense of anxiety hung over him. A few days prior, the Censorate had finally taken action. Song Qi, the former supervisor of the Imperial Academy, had been impeached by multiple censors for his mismanagement of the academy and the scandals surrounding the academy’s examinations during his tenure. The Emperor, usually known for his leniency toward ministers, had been struck with thunderous rage.

Previously, due to the "Four Friends of Tianzhang" scandal, Song Qi had already been expelled from the central government and demoted to be the prefect of Shouzhou (in Fengtai County, Anhui Province). For a high-ranking official to be reassigned as a prefect outside of Bianjing due to a mistake was normal, but there were differences between prefectures. Shouzhou was a prosperous region not far from Bianjing, which essentially amounted to a soft landing.

But this time, the Emperor’s fury was absolute; he reassigned Song Qi to Huizhou (in Guangdong) and stripped him of his position at the Tianzhang Pavilion. This was a clear and severe punishment. Although a political consensus had formed during the reign of Emperor Renzong that scholar-officials should not be executed, if one were constantly demoted until they eventually died in a distant, desolate land, it was no different from murder. Su Shi, after the Crow Terrace Poetry Case, had been demoted all the way to Hainan, never to return to Bianjing.

Beyond the punishment of Song Qi, several other candidates who had qualified for the Ministry of Rites examinations were suspended from their eligibility due to the same scandal and were barred from participating this year. Su Ze’s name was among them. Upon hearing this news, Wang Anshi had gone to Su Ze’s small courtyard, only to learn from the neighbors that Su Ze had sold the place. Wang Anshi could not track down his new residence. Had Su Ze been so disheartened by the event that he had left Bianjing entirely? Unable to find him, Wang Anshi could only return home to his books. Having yet to enter the officialdom, the sheer cruelty of the political machine seen from afar left Wang Anshi deeply shaken.

Perhaps in the eyes of those high-ranking figures, talent was of no consequence; only power mattered. Wang Anshi recalled Su Ze’s words, urging him to enter the government to change it. He pushed these distracting thoughts aside and made a silent vow: he must pass the examinations this time.

At the residence of Lü Yijian, Lü Gongbi was packing clothes for his father. This year, the Emperor had issued another decree appointing Lü Yijian as the Chief Examiner for the Ministry of Rites. Ouyang Xiu, a Hanlin scholar, was appointed as the Deputy Chief Examiner. As Chief Examiner, Lü Yijian would have to seclude himself within the examination compound to draft the questions, remaining there until the papers were graded. That was why Lü Gongbi was preparing his luggage.

To preside over the examinations was a supreme honor. Although Song dynasty officials were called the "Emperor’s students," they still revered the Chief Examiner as a master. There was a popular saying: "A prime minister who has not presided over the examinations is no true prime minister." This was because by presiding over the exams, one could gather a cohort of new successful candidates—the future of the officialdom. Historically, powerful prime ministers maintained their grip on the court by repeatedly presiding over the exams and building a network of loyal disciples and subordinates.

Lü Yijian, however, was calm about his son’s excitement. At sixty-three, his body was frail and his eyesight failing; presiding over the exams was a grueling task. More than cultivating disciples, he was preoccupied with Fan Zhongyan in the Northwest. In the first month, Fan Zhongyan had rushed to Bianjing for an audience with the Emperor at the Tianzhang Pavilion. Many thought the Emperor was finally going to grant Fan a major role. Yet, after the audience, Fan was not kept in Bianjing as a minister but was quickly sent back to the Northwest. His subordinate, Wang Gongchen, and his son, Lü Gongbi, both assumed the Emperor was dissatisfied with Fan’s proposals.

Lü Yijian did not think so. Although the Western Xia had won two battles, their national strength was waning. Fan Zhongyan had been building fortresses and strongholds in the Northwest, employing a new generation of military families like the Zhong clan, and recruiting local tribal troops; he had firmly established himself. With rumors of peace negotiations circulating in the court, the Emperor would naturally keep Fan in the Northwest during such a critical time. What made Lü Yijian uneasy was that the contents of the Tianzhang Pavilion audience had not been leaked at all. An audience at the pavilion was meant for discussing major state policy, and beyond the private conversation, ministers usually submitted memorials declaring their political blueprints. What had Fan said to the Emperor? And what was the Emperor’s attitude?

Lü Yijian had eyes and ears everywhere, even having bribed eunuchs within the palace, yet he had been unable to uncover a single detail about the meeting. This made him deeply anxious. Furthermore, the matter of appointing a crown prince had fallen through due to the "Demon Book" case, which had been a significant blow to Lü Yijian, a staunch supporter of the Empress.

With no one to confide in, Lü Yijian asked his son, "While I am secluded in the examination compound, be sure to behave yourself at home. Do not cause any trouble." Lü Gongbi readily agreed. He personally carried his father’s luggage to the entrance of the Prime Minister’s residence and helped him into the carriage bound for the examination compound. Once his father departed, Lü Gongbi relaxed. He immediately turned to his attendants and commanded, "Quickly invite a few of the young masters to the residence for a banquet! And tell Feng Shiyuan to send over a few jars of aged Shoumei wine!"

On the fifth day of the second lunar month, the Ministry of Rites examinations officially began. Wang Anshi and Zeng Gong stood in line, waiting to be searched before entering the compound. In an examination of such consequence, no one dared to be careless. Even though he knew Su Ze could not participate, Wang Anshi could not help but glance around, and indeed, Su Ze was nowhere to be seen. He did catch a glimpse of Yang Zhi, who gave a slight nod in acknowledgement.

When it was finally Wang Anshi’s turn, the soldiers thoroughly checked him for hidden cheat sheets before allowing him in. Just then, Wang Anshi heard a deafening sound of drums. He and the other scholars waiting to enter looked back toward the direction of the palace.

It wasn't just the examination compound; the various ministries and offices around the imperial palace could hear the drums. A few veteran officials recalled the origin of the sound.

The Dengwen Drum had been struck.